An online gismo that calculates the areas with the highest levels of air pollution has helped reveal which Edinburgh postcodes are the dirtiest in terms of dangerous fumes and toxins.
While the levels of pollution don't seem a problem to the untrained eye, experts in the field have recently spoken out about how damaging Edinburgh's poor air quality is after a jump in levels from 2020.
Generally, a trend of the busier the area, the more polluted it is, has unfolded after exploring the research.
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Although there are many different levels to consider when looking at air pollution, the main figure to keep an eye on is PM2.5 which measures particles that can cause asthma, respiratory inflammation and jeopardize lung functions.
Areas such as Leith and Queensferry Road are much higher than further away districts such as Currie, on the outskirts of the city centre.
According to data captured by aqicn, Salamander Street, in Leith is currently the most polluted area in the capital, although by their standards, the levels are still classed as 'good' and coloured green.
The Air Quality Index is a tool used to monitor different gases and toxins within any given area, and the higher the number, the more hazardous it can be to human life.
Experts have linked the output from car engines to a host of serious health risks including dementia and respiratory illnesses.
In this case, each street is measured purely on particulate matter, as opposed to Nitrogen and Sulphur Dioxide.
As mentioned, Salamander Street has the highest levels of particulate matter, from the data available, with a number of 38.
The next area that gets anywhere near as close as that figure is St Leonards, within the busy southside of the city. The number for that particular area is currently 25.
Moving to the east side of the city and just outside the busy Princes Street, which just happens to have a relatively low score compared to the areas mentioned, are Queensferry Street and St Johns Road.
Both of the aforementioned areas have a marker of 23, slightly less polluted compared to St Leonards, although they are further from the city centre.
Even further east and right next to Edinburgh Airport, it is no surprise to see Glasgow Road has a marker of 23 as well. It is however, surprising to see that the nearby fumes culminating from the dozens of planes does not contribute to a higher marker.
Speaking earlier this year, and after the worrying hike in Edinburgh's air quality compared to pre-Covid levels, FOES transport campaigner Gavin Thomson said: "Edinburgh’s air pollution problem worsened in 2021 and this is unacceptable.
"The health links between air pollution and Covid-19 should push us to redouble our efforts to clean up our air and protect public health."
He added: "Pollution damages our health through long-term exposure, such as living near a main road throughout your childhood.
"The reduced pollution for a couple of months in 2020 is unlikely to have many long-term health benefits. The rebound of toxic pollution in 2021 puts us all at risk."
